1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a message authentication apparatus and method of a mobile communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a mobile communication system allows a user to wirelessly page and be wirelessly connected for communication with another party instantly, any time and anywhere through switch controlling of an Mobile Switching Center (MSC), while the user moves in a service area served by a base station (BS).
Presently, data communication (e.g. text messaging) and multimedia communication (e.g. video clips, still pictures), as well as voice communication can occur between the user and another party.
A mobile station (MS) used for mobile communication is usually in a standby mode most of the time. In other words, the voice communication usage time or operation rate of the MS is low. Thus, in order to raise the operation rate of the MS, mobile communication service providers have developed and provided supplementary services including online games, wireless Internet connection, text message transmission and image message transmission services. In addition, the MS can perform various other functions and operations, such as phone book management, memorandum creation, message creation, schedule management, games, camera functions, electronic calculator and time alarms.
The text message transmission function, the most frequently used supplementary service, transfers a message with desired content to another party simply and accurately by using symbols, numbers, characters, figures and the like. The text message transmission function has an advantage that it occupies a transmission channel for a very short time, so a communication cost is low. Also, since a text message uses a non-real time transmission method, desired content can be accurately transferred regardless of an off-hook status of the other party.
There are many ways to send a text message such as by connecting a text terminal to a general wired phone set, connecting a computer to the Internet, and creating a text message in a mobile communication terminal (such as a cellular phone, PDA etc.). In these methods, a specific phone number of a user or an arbitrary phone number is inputted as originator information and then transmitted together with the corresponding text message. Then, an MS of a receiving side can check the received text message and the originator information.
The method for checking originator information of a message (message sender information) in a mobile communication system for a text message transmission service in accordance with the related art will now be described with reference to FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a message authentication method in a mobile communication system in accordance with the related art.
As shown in FIG. 1, the related art method for checking originator information of a message in a mobile communication system includes: a step in which whether a text message has been inputted is checked (step S11); a step in which when a text message has been inputted, a originator phone number of the inputted text message and recipient information are detected (step S12); a step in which a transmission path of the text message is set based on the recipient information (step S13); a step in which the text message and the detected originator phone number are transmitted through the set transmission path (step S14); and a step in which the transmitted text message and the originator phone number are displayed (step S15).
The related art method for checking originator information of a message in a mobile communication system will be described in detail as follows. First, a user creates a text message of desired content through a text message origination function of the MS. The user inputs originator information (e.g., the originator phone number), and then, transmits the text message having the originator information to a base station (BS) of a service area where the user belongs. In this case, the BS forms a specific service area for transmitting/receiving a communication signal by being wirelessly connected with the MS. A wider service area can be formed by disposing multiple BSs at certain intervals.
The BS transmits the received text message to the MSC. Then, a server checks whether the text message has been inputted to the MSC (step S11). When the text message has been inputted, the server detects the originator information and the recipient information of the text message (step S12). Then, the server transmits the detected information to the MSC, and the MSC establishes a transmission path for the text message, based on the detected recipient information (step S13).
Thereafter, the MSC transmits the text message and the detected originator information through the established transmission path to a BS where the MS of the recipient resides (step S14). The MS of the receiving side displays the text message and the originator information of the text message through a display unit (step S15).
The step of displaying the text message and the originator information of a text message will now be described with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a message authentication method at an MS of a receiving side, in accordance with the related art.
As shown in FIG. 2, the related art method for checking originator information of a message by an MS at a receiving side, includes: a step in which whether a text message has been received is checked (step S21); a step in which when a text message has been received, the text message is detected (step S22); a step in which a originator phone number of the detected text message is detected (step S23); and a step in which the detected text message and the originator phone number are displayed (step S24).
The related art method for checking originator information of a message of the MS of the receiving side will now be described in detail. First, a BS of the receiving side on the transmission path transmits the text message and the originator phone number of the text message to the MS of the receiving side. The MS of the receiving side periodically checks whether the message transmitted from the BS of the corresponding service area is inputted (step S21).
When the message is inputted, the MS of the receiving side detects the message (step S22), detects the originator phone number of the message (step S23), and displays the detected message and the detected originator phone number through a display unit, so that the receiving side can check the text message and the originator phone number of the text message (step S24).
As mentioned above, thanks to the development of various communication-related techniques, mass production and the drop in the cost of parts, the text message transmission method of the mobile communication system of the related art can transfer desired content accurately on a real time basis at a relatively low cost. However, the related art method for checking the originator information in a mobile communication system has drawbacks. Since only the originator phone number, inputted by a user, is set as originator information and transmitted together with a corresponding text message, the receiving MS cannot properly check the truth of the origination information of the received text message. In other words, the originator or sender of the text message may have supplied a false originator phone number to trick or mislead the recipient as to the source of the text, image or video message.